Resilient lamp socket for mounting in an apertured panel



, Wdrr 2K0 zr Z 'n W Nov. 29, 1955 R E MOORE ETAL 2,725,546

RESILIEN'I LAMP SOCKET FOR MOUNTING IN AN APERTURED PANEL Filed Nov. 6,1955 Inveniazrs 2056/1 5 Maw e RESILIENT LAMP SOCKET FOR MOUNTING IN ANAPERTURED PANEL Robert E. Moore and Warren R. Bower, Cedar Rapids, Iowa,assignors to Amana Refrigeration, Inc., Amana, Iowa, a corporation ofIowa Application November 6, 1953, Serial No. 390,542 2 Claims. (Cl.339126) The present invention relates to electric lamp sockets, and moreparticularly, is concerned with a resilient electric lamp socket forproviding a simple yet highly efficient mounting for a light bulb orsimilar electrical item upon a sheet metal panel.

We are, of course, aware that lamp sockets, providing a support for alamp bulb or the like relative to a wall surface, have been known forsome time in the prior art. However, to our knowledge, none of theseprior art devices provide a balanced socket securely fixed to itssupporting wall at a plurality of points, yet in which only a singleretaining screw is required, and in which the retaining screw absorbsonly a minor portion of the fastening load. Likewise, to our knowledge,the prior art lamp bulb or electrical outlet supports wherein a securefastening means is provided have not included integral resilient supportmeans whereby the socket may be subjected to continuous impact stresseswithout fracture either of the support or the lamp carried thereby.

By means of the present invention, a support is provided whichcompletely overcomes the deficiencies of the prior artand permits theplacement of a lamp bulb or the like upon a sheet metal door memberwhich is under constant use. Although, as will be apparent, the mountingof a light source on a door will subject the light support to constantimpact, nevertheless, the novel support herein described will completelycushion shocks from such door activity and will simultaneously maintaina positive grip on the panel carrying the support, without the need fora complex supporting mount.

These functions are accomplished in the present invention through theprovision of a lamp support constructed substantially entirely of aresilient material such as rubber, which is secured in an aperture in asupporting panel by means of a plurality of radially projectingbuttresses which cooperate with the panel to provide a firm attach- Ition with a lamp bulb to prevent ingress of moisture into the lampsocket.

Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from a con-= sideration of the attached drawingin which a preferred embodiment is shown by way of illustration only,and wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view in cross-section showing the novel lampsocket and its relationship to a supportingv panel and lamp bulb;Figure'Z is a side elevational view of the lamp support per se; and

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the structure of Figure 1 asviewed from the right in that figure. As shown on the drawings: i Theconstruction of the present invention may clearly be seen from aconsideration of Figures 1, 2 and 3, As.

is therein shown, a support body, generally indicated'at 10, is providedhaving a peripheralflange 11 and radially projecting buttresses 12, 13and 14. Each of the but-;

- tresses 12, 13 and 14 is formed integrally with the main recess 18thereof.

ground lead 19 and the conductor 20 are likewise perbody 10 and extendsinto close relationship with the flange 11 without actually abutting theflange. Thus, as may be seen from Figures 1 and 2, spaces 15 areprovided between the ends of the abutments 12, 13 and 14' and theadjacent face of the flange 11. The spaces 15 are molded or cut toprovide a gap slightly narrower than the thickness of supporting panelmaterial 16 upon which the lamp socket is mounted. Thus, a grippingaction will be provided by the flange 11 in cooperation: with theabutments 12, 13 and 14 when the lamp body.

10 is in its assembled position relative to a supporting panel 16. I

The lamp support body 10 is constructed of a dielectric material havingsubstantial resiliency. Materials suitable for this structureincludeboth natural and artificial rubher, as well as the readilymoldable plastics such as vinyl. During the molding operation in whichthe entire housing 10 is formed as an integral piece, a lamp socket 17is preferably bonded to the material in the During this moldingoperation, the

manently secured within the body 10. The lead 19.is

soldered directly to the socket 17 which is constructed of a highlyconductive material such as copper, and the conductor 20 is insulatedfrom the socket 18 by means and which cooperate with similar recesses inthe panel during installation to provide a bayonet type fastening.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novellamp support socket.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simplified,shock absorbing lamp socket capable of extremely simple and rapidinstallation in a sheet metal panel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a resilient lampsocket mounting giving a firm support for a lamp bulb or the like, andsimultaneously sealing the aperture utilized in the securing of thesupport to a carrying panel.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a one-pieceresilient lamp socket having a lamp base socket with electrical sourceand ground connections secured thereto and molded within the rubber baseas an assembled part thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel lamp supporthaving an integral seal for cooperaof a plastic spacer 21. The endcontact 22 of the conductor 20 is positioned along the central axis ofthe socket 18 for contact with a center post contact 24 of conventionalform associated with the base of a lamp "25 mounted for support in thesocket 17.

While the preferred form of the present invention contemplates thebonding of the socket 17, and the con.

duits 19 and 20 to each other and to the resilient material of the body10, it is to be understood that the socket 17 may, if desired, bepositioned within the recess 18 after the molding of the body 10. Insuch case, the socket 17 is retained firmly in position by theprojecting threads 23 of the body 10. These threads cooperate with thecorresponding outer threaded surface of the socket 17 to maintain thesocket snugly within the recess 18-.

Likewise, the conduits 19 and 20 may be secured to the socket 17 afterthe molding of the body portion 10 if so desired. However, it will beappreciated that the separate assembly of the socket 17 and theconductors 19 and 20 to each other and within the body portion 10 afterthe molding of the body, is a much less commercially.

acceptable practice since it requires unnecessary assem bly steps and,especially, since it requires the soldering of the conductor 19 to thesocket shell 17, a relatively difiicult operation in the assembledcondition.

Patented Nov. 29, 1955 The body of the lamp support is mounted in anaperture 26 in the plate or panel 16. The aperture 26 is provided with aplurality of peripheral recesses 27, 28 and 29 having configurationssubstantially the same as the respective buttresses 12, 13 and 14. Theinnermost diameter of the aperture 26 is substantially the same as butslightly larger than the outer diameter of the body portion 10,exclusive of the buttresses. Thus, the buttresses will pass through theaperture 26 only when aligned with the respective recesses 27, 28 and29. In order to permit the insertion of the lamp support in the aperture26 in only a single position, one of the buttresses and itscorresponding recess, namely, buttress 14 and recess 29 are providedwith a somewhat different configuration from the remaining buttressesand recesses. In the modification shown in the drawings, the buttress 14is provided with a tangential side 30 which cooperates with a similartangentially directed side 31 of the recess 29.

As may be seen from a consideration of Figures 1 and 3, the lamp supportis designed for tight engage ment with the panel 16 in its assembledposition. This is achieved through the insertion of the body 10 throughthe aperture 26 with a subsequent rotation of the body 10 through anangle of approximately 60. This may be seen clearly from Figure 3wherein the final position of the buttress 14 is shown relative to therecess 29 through which it passes during the assembly operation. Thebody 10 is maintained in its assembled, rotated position by means of asingle screw 32 which passes through an aperture 33 in the flange 11 andan aperture 34 in the panel 16. The aperture 34 is, of course,positioned in the panel 16 at a point which will align with the aperture33 in the flange 11 after the entire body 10 has been rotated into itsfinal position as shown in Figure 3. In most installations, the screw 34is of the self tapping type, but it is, of course, to be understood thatany type of similar fastening means may be utilized to maintain the lampsocket in its assembled position.

In view of the resilient nature of the material of the body portion 10,and in view of the fact that the flange 11 projects radially outwardlypast the recesses 27, 28 and 29, it will be apparent that when the lampsupport is in its assembled position, a seal is provided which willprevent the passage of air or moisture through the aperture 26. Further,due to the resiliency of the buttresses, and in view of the fact thatthe spaces are constructed to be somewhat narrower than the thickness ofthe panel 16, a very tight grip is provided between the body 10 and thepanel 16. In this manner, the body 10 is actually very snugly maintainedagainst the panel 16 at four places, namely the screw attachment at 32,and the buttress attachment at 12, 13 and 14. Thus, the socket 17 ismaintained in resilient relationship to the panel 16 at numerous pointsabout its periphery without need for more than a single screw. It willbe appreciated that the simplification provided has greatly reducedassembly costs, while at the same time providing a sealed, shock-prooflamp mounting.

It has been found in practice that the lamp support above described hasworked very satisfactorily in connection with refrigerator or foodfreezer doors in which the source of illumination is mounted on theswinging door rather than within the food storage compartment. Thus, inspite of the fragility of the ordinary electric lamp, the resilientnature of the body portion 10, along with its resilient means ofsecurement to the panel 16, which in the case of a refrigerator doorwould be the inner door liner, has provided sufficient dampening effectto prevent damage to the lamp supported thereby even though the door isharshly closed over long periods of time.

As may be seen from Figure l, a sealing lip 18a is provided on thesupport body 10 for cooperation with the lamp bulb 25. This lip hasproved advantageous in installations such as that described above sincerefrigerators and similar articles are apt to have frost or liquidcondensate on the surfaces of the inner walls at various times duringtheir use. By providing a somewhat inwardly turned lip 18a in the lampbody 10 which cooperates with the lamp bulb 25 to form an annular sealtherewith, condensate or frost melted by the heat generated from thelamp source are prevented from ingress within the recess 18. It is, ofcourse, apparent that the prevention of such ingress is desirable sincethe electrical components within the body 10, such as, for example, thesocket 17 and the contacts associated with the conductors and 20, mustbe retained in a corrosion free condition for eflicient operation.Further, by maintaining the recess 13 in a dry state, no possibility ofa short circuit between the conductors 19 and 20 is present.

it will thus be apparent that we have provided a novel light socket andsupport providing a substantially impact resistant mounting capable ofsimple, yet firm, attachment to a sheet metal panel or the like.

It is, of course, understood that modifications and variations may bemade in the structure herein disclosed without departing from the scopeof the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A light socket for mounting on a panel of relatively thin materialhaving an aperture therein and recesses in the edge, comprising aresilient body portion having a cavity therein for the reception of alamp bulb, a peripheral flange on said resilient body, a minimum ofthree buttresses extending axially along said body and projectingradially therefrom at a point on the opposite side of said flange fromsaid lip and spaced axially from said flange a distance slightly lessthan the thickness of said wall material, said aperture and recesses insaid wall having a configuration substantially the same as acrossscction of said body taken through said buttresses, said flangeprojecting radially outwardly from said body a distance greater than themaximum projection of said buttresses, securing means through saidflange and said panel, whereby said flange will cover said aperture toprevent the passage of moisture or the like therethrough and rotation isprevented.

2. The invention as described in claim 1, said flange projectingradially at substantially the mid point of said socket, said panel beingin juxtaposition with said flange and secured thereto, whereby saggingis prevented in said light socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS789,734 Hochhausen May 16, 1905 833,342 Salisbury Oct. 16, 19061,724,592 Hudson Aug. 13, 1929 2,012,979 Von Holtz Sept. 3, 19352,037,630 Hudson Apr. 14, 1936 2,102,625 Hubbell, Ir. Dec. 21, 19372,116,162 Smalley May 3, 1938 2,151,882 Woodhead Mar. 28, 1939 2,460,636Holloway Feb. 1, 1949 2,620,375 Valites Dec. 2, 1952 2,633,483 HafkeMar. 31, 1953 2,694,798 Cole Nov. 16, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 119,769Austria Nov. 10, 1930

